Calibrachoa plant named ‘Filindura Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Filindura Pink’, characterized by its upright to spreading growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; relatively large red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Filindura Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Filindura Pink’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-branching Calibrachoa cultivarswith compact plant habit, freely flowering habit, and attractive flowercolor.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2002 in De Lier, The Netherlands of two unnamed proprietaryselections of Calibrachoa sp., not patented. The new Calibrachoa wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2003, has shownthat the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Filindura Pink has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Filindura Pink’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Filindura Pink ’as a new and distinctcultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Upright to spreading growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Relatively large red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the parentselections. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plantsof the parent selections in plant and flowering habit as plants of thenew Calibrachoa are more uniform and are more freely flowering thanplants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivarSuper Bell Purplepink, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Calibrachoadiffered from plants of the cultivar Super Bell Purplepink in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Super Bell        Purplepink differed in stem color.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the cultivar Super Bell Purplepink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa. The photograph comprises a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Filindura Pink’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands, undercommercial practice during the spring in glass-covered greenhouse withday and night temperatures averaging 16° C. Rooted young plants had beengrowing for about ten weeks when the photograph and description weretaken. Plants used for the description were grown in 10.5-cm containers.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Filindura Pink.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp., not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp., not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading plant            habit; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching habit with            about eight primary lateral branches each with multiple            secondary lateral branches; pinching is typically not            required.        -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 48 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 25 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—145B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple sessile.        -   Length.—About 3 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 138A.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation, 137A.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138A to 138B;            venation 138A to 138B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Relatiavely large salverform            flowers arranged singly arising from leaf axils. Freely            flowering habit with usually 50 open flowers and flower buds            developing per plant. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowring season.—Plants flower continuously from the            spring throughout the summer in The Netherlands. Plants            begin flowering about seven weeks after planting rooted            cuttings. Flowers not persistent.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Flower depth(height).—About 2.8 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Length: About            1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length: About            3.1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.8 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Retuse. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny;            tube, pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface:            More intense than 74A. Petal, when opening, lower surface:            Between 78B and 83A. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 74A; towards the base and throat, 16A. Petal, fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 78B; stripes, 83A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.8 cm. Sepal width: About            3 mm. Sepal shape: Narroly oblong. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            base: Cuneate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color: Immature and            mature, upper surface: Towards the apex, 143A; towards the            base, 145A. Immature and mature, lower surface: Towards the            apex, 143A; towards the base, 145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            About 40° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per            flower. Filament length: About 9 mm. Anther shape: Broadly            reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 10B.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 10B. Pistils:            Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Style            length: About 8 mm. Style color: 145A. Stigma shape:            Three-lobed, flattened. Stigma color: 145A to 145B. Ovary            color: 145C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Filindura Pink’ asillustrated and described.